Chinese Lantern Festival coming to Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden

The Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden is gearing up for its newest exhibition, the Chinese Lantern Festival.

The festival, produced by Hanart Culture, will be held from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays starting Sunday, Sept. 7 and running through Friday, Oct. 29.

These won’t be your traditional round lanterns; the theme of the exhibit is “The Wild.” Expect to see illuminated fauna and animals from all over the world, including pandas, lions, flamingoes and even dinosaurs, all making use of the unique scenery the garden has to offer.

“We have hippos that are bathing in our Canal Garden. We have a whale that’s sitting in another fountain. And then there’s a meadow that runs along a road that sits on the outside of the garden, and there’s dozens of African animals. It’s like a migration of animals on the Serengeti. You get to walk among these animals as they migrate through our garden,” said Jim Hoffman, chief operating officer.

Cardinal and tulip lanterns were created for the show as a nod to the state bird of North Carolina and to the Garden.

The amount of animatronic parts of the lanterns has also been increased. Dinosaurs, elephants’ trunks, moose, and even the heads on the Mandarin ducks’ heads move.

While lanterns will be spread throughout close to 300 acres, the Lost Hollow and Orchid Conservatory will not have lanterns.

An Asian-themed display has been set up in the conservatory and throughout the garden.

Last winter, the horticulture team at Daniel Stowe came up with an Asian-expired exhibit and worked to install it in March. Among the exhibit are various Japanese maples, bamboo, irises and more, all of which created in preparation for hosting the festival.

Lost Hollow will not be open during the festival, but the conservatory will be.

Breathing life into lanterns

George Zhao, principal and operations director of Hanart Culture, described the process involved in bringing these creations to life – all the way from Zigong, China.

In-house artists create the design for the lanterns on the computer and paper. Materials are gathered, the design is laid out on the ground, materials are cut, prepared, fashioned into a three-dimensional shape and are wired. The artists make sure the bulbs are correct in size and color before the skin goes on, matched to color samples provided by the chief artist. Great care is taken to make sure the wires aren’t close enough to the skin that shadows will appear. Glue and fabric is then applied to the outlines, and the chief artist paints on the final touches. And that’s all before the lanterns even leave China.

After they arrive overseas, the packages are stationed on-site. The artisans do the casting and repairs, if needed.

“Depending on the scale of the festival, it typically takes one month and a half to build the exhibit from the early stage in China and then another one month to one month and a half to do the final stage of production on-site,” said Zhao.

Nineteen Hanart Culture artisans have traveled to Belmont from Zigong to put them together.

“It’s been an incredible experience working with this team that’s half a world away,” said Hoffman.

Highlighting Chinese culture

The festival is more than just a show of colorful lanterns — festival organizers have made it a point to incorporate other aspects of Chinese culture.

Sample authentic Chinese food through a variety of vendors. Folk artists have flown in from China and will have their crafts for sale, but will also demonstrate Chinese embroidery, knot art, the creation of sugar figurines and more.

Kung Fu and Shadow Play shows with demonstrations will give the community a chance to participate in the festival hands-on.

“In general, it’s a variety of interactive and demonstrative activities that present the history and heritage of Chinese culture,” said Zhao. “We are especially proud of our cultural programming.”

And although the exhibit hasn’t officially opened yet, some community members have had the chance to lend a hand, and others to get a small taste of what’s to come.

Gaston Day School students and the recording studio at Gaston College have worked with Hanart Culture to produce the audio for the Shadow Play.

Some have had the chance to see a few illuminated animals in the back of a truck Zhao has taken around town.

“I’m glad to hear the interest, not only from the kids, as we position our show for the audience from [ages] 8 to 80. Before, we didn’t try to focus on the youth audience. But this time when we drive around with some animals on the truck, we hear great interest from the younger generation. They say the animals we produce, especially with great detail, that the creations are ‘very cool,’” said Zhao. “In general, it’s for everybody. No matter what age, we’ll find a part of their favorite.”

TICKETS

Online in advance

Adult: $21.95

Senior 60+: $19.95

Child 2-12: $14.95

Child Under 2: Free

At the door

Adult: $24.95

Senior 60+: $21.95

Child 2-12: $15.95

Child Under 2: Free

Garden members receive 30 percent off ticket prices including up to four guests.

The garden encourages all guests to purchase tickets online in advance at DSBG.org. If tickets are not sold out for an evening, tickets will also be available at the door.

Admission with Chinese Lantern Festival tickets begins at 5:30 p.m. and end at 9 p.m. each evening. These tickets are not valid for daytime admission or before 5:30 p.m. Daytime admission is 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily with entry ending at 4 p.m. and requires the purchase of a general admission ticket or garden membership.